Time-lock



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.-

L. P. MUNGER.

TIME LOOK.

No. 409,220. Patented Aug. 20, 1889.

A 1 w l l 'J I will:

9 m/finesse; i wanz r.

AMJ cxwdx 3 WT i7 w (,No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. L. P. MUNGER.

TIME LOCK.

No. 409,220. Patented Aug. 20, 1889.

N. PETERS, Phnru-Lmw n hm, Washingtan. D. c.

UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

LYMAN F. MUNGER, OF ROCHESTER, NENV YORK.

TIME-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,220, dated August 20, 1889.

Application filed November 10, 1888. gerial No. 290,470- (No model.)

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LYMAN F. MUNGER, of Rochester, county of Monroe, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Time-Locks for Safes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

My present invention relates to improvements in time-locks for safes, vaults, 850., and has for its object to improve the construction and operation of the mechanism for dogging the train or door bolts, not only simplifying and cheapening the construction of the parts and rendering them interchangeable, but also obviating all liability of a lock-out. Further, it has for its object to so construct and locate the parts that if attempt is made to force the look by the use of some explosive against the safe or vault door, the only damage that can result will be the removal or stoppage of the time mechanism without affecting the doorbolt-dogging devices, so as to cause the unlocking of the safe or in any manner seriously injuring them.

To those ends the invention consists in certain novelties of construction and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter fully described, and the novel features pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a front view of a lock constructed in accordance with my invention when unlocked, the front of the casing being removed; Fig. 2, a similar view when locked;v Fig. 3, a sectional view on the line a: w of Fig. 1; Fig. 4:, a view on the line y y of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a view of the dogging or look bolt removed from the casing, the operating-slide being indica-ted in dotted lines, showing the position occupied by the parts when the safe is to be locked and the lock is set; Fig. 6, a section on the line 5 .2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7, a perspective view of a modified form of lock .or dogging bolt.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate similar parts.

The letter A indicates the safe or vault door to which my lock is in the present instance applied, l3 representing the tongue-piece connected to the safe or train bolts and adapted to project within the casing C containing the time-lock, all of which parts may be of any suitable or preferredconstruction, the only requisite being that the length of the tonguepiece be such that when. the safe-bolts are shot into place in the door-casing it will be close to the outside of the dogging or look bolt, the latter preventing its movement until the time has arrived for which the time mechanism is set.

The lock-casing C is provided with a suitable door, (not shown,) and is preferably connected to the safe-door or other suitable support by bolts, rubber cushions D D being interposed between the support and casing for preventing jars to the mechanism, as usual. Vithin this casing and secured to theback thereof by suitable retaining-screws a a a are two separate clock movements E and F, mounted in independent holding plates or frames and separately secured to the main casin g, from which either one can be removed when desired. These clock-movements may be of the ordinary or any preferred construction,- but are preferably both made to a gage and interchangeable, and the winding-arbor b of each is squared, as usual, for the application of a winding-key and extends beyond the faceplate, and upon this arbor is located a gear 0 and below it a disk cl, having a tooth 6 thereon, which latter forms with the wheel f the stop-works of the movement. The gear 0 meshes with a wheel g, which through a small pinion 71, secured to it, operates an indicatorwheel t', the face of which is marked off in suitable subdivisions, the highest number (seventy-two in the present instance) indicating the maximum number of hours the movement is arranged to run and keep the safe locked. A suitable indicating-pointer j is secured upon the stationary arbor of wheel 2', arranged to co-operate with the indications 011 the said wheel, the connection between the parts being such that when the windingarbor is turned to wind the movement the illdicator-wheelt' will be rotated and the pointer will indicate the number of hours the movement will run before the slide controlling the dogging or lock bolt is operated. Hung loosely upon the arbor of each of the wheels f is an arm 76, projecting preferablybelow the periphery of the latter and adapted to be turned positively toward the left when the movement has run down, or as far as permitted by the stop-Work, by means of a pin Z,secured to the face of said Wheel.

The slide G, upon which the arms of each movement operates, is mounted in suitable guides or bearings below the movements and controls the operation of the lock-or dogging bolt, being provided with pins on m on the outer side, with which the arms is co-operate to move the slide to the left or in a direction to cause the release of said bolt. These arms k and their operating-pins Z are so situated. relative to each other and the gears and indicator that when the movement has run until arrested by the stop-works the pins 5 of either or both movements will operate the arm or arms on its pivot, moving the slide to the left and releasing the lock-bolt, the indicators being at the zero-point at this time. Asthe arms hang loosely on their pivots and are only operated by the pins Z when the wheels have rotated sufficiently, there is no work to be done by the spring of the movements until the time for unlocking arrives, save that of keeping them in operation, and when the un-' locking operation does take place the power isapplied through a lever having a relatively long movement without necessitating the employment of a larger wheel. This feature of always having the unlocking operation take place by the running down of the movements necessitates winding the latter before locking the safe and prevents a lock-out.

It will be noted that the movements are entirely separate, and each can be removed and replaced, when desired, without affecting the operation of the other, so that if one Should get out of order it could be taken out and repaired, the one being su fficient to operate the slide, or another movement put in its place. As the seats for the movements, and these themselves, are made to a gage and provided with steadying-pins, so as to cause them to be correctly seated, the substitution of one movement for another will require no fitting or alteration. The movements can be made in quantity, the onlypoint of uniformity required, excepting size, being the stop-works, indicator, and slide-operating arm, so that the operation of the slide will be caused when the movement runs .down.

Instead of allowing the springs to run entirely down, they are wound two turns before the stop-works are fitted to them at the point where the slide is engaged and moved, so that there will be sufficient tension at the last part of the operation to cause the proper operation of the parts.

The arms that communicate motion from the movements to the slide, it will be noted, are in front of the slide and beside the pin with which they engage, so that either one of the movements can be placed in the casing and removed without unfastening or interfering at all with the other one or the bolt- I controlling slide.

In attempting to force safes or vaults by the explosion of nitro-glycerine against the doors or the lock-support the usual result has been the destruction of the whole lock, the time mechanism as Well as the devices for operating the lock-bolt, and in some constructions of locks this will permit the retraction of the safe-bolts; but in order to guard against this and reduce the damage caused by such an explosion, I construct the lock-bolt-operating slide of comparatively light material, so that the momentum given it by an explosion against the door will not cause it to tear loose from its fastenings, and in order that no damage to the movements can cause them to unlock the lock-bolt I provide screws H H, passing through the lock casing, one just back of each of the movements and entering the safe-door or other support, so that any violent movement of the door, as by an explosion, will cause the bolt to force the clockmovements from their places, and thus remove all liability of either of them unlocking the door.

At the ends of the lock-casing are provided apertures B, through which the tongue-piece B, connected to the train or safe bolts is adapted to project, and the dogging or look bolt I, constructed as in Fig. 5, with an enlarged portion adapted to come in line with the openings for the tongue-piece. This boltis mounted on a shaft or arbor I secured in any suitable manner to the frame and adapted to turn 011 its arbor to prevent and permit the operation of said tongue-piece according to its position. The lower web J of this bolt extends forward beneath the slide G, and the latter has a downwardly-proj ecting portion G, adapted to hold said web down when projected over it, (by its spring G secured to the frame and slide respectively, for operating the latter toward the right,) and when in this position with the web confined the bolt is in line with the openings B, the tongue-piece is dogged, and the safe locked. Sleeved upon one end of arbor I, close to the end of bolt I, is a bell-crank latch K, the longer arm projecting parallel with and slightly beyond the web J, said projecting end constituting a handle for operating it, and the shorter arm provided with a stud K, engaging the forward side of the bolt I. This shorter arm is also connected to the rear of the casing by a spiral spring K and consequen tly when in normal position this spring, through the latch and stud K, will normally tend to hold the bolt back against the casing or a suitable stop and out of dogging position. Secured to the under side of the web J of the bolt is a spring J its outer free end pressing the latch, so that its stud K will bear against the bolt at all times, though the latter is permitted to move in the opposite direction against said spring, when desired.

The operation of this portion of the inven- ICC tion will now be apparent. .Assuming the safe unlocked, the movement-s stopped, and the slide at the extreme left, the spring K holding the latch and bolt I back, the latter out of line with the-openings B, the tonguepiece can be slid into the lock-casing without interference. hen desired to set the lock to open in, say, sixteen hours, the tongue-piece being still within the lock-easin g and the doorbolts retracted, the operator by meansof a suitable key winds up the two movements until the figure 1G is indicated on the indicatorwheels t', then presses down the end of latch K against the tension of springs K and J until it is below the end of the projection on the slide G, when the spring G will draw the latter over it. This movement will not affect the bolt I, as the tongue-piece prevents its forward movement, but the spring J is put under increased tension, and as the wing J of the bolt stands in raised position the slide is arrested by its end. The safe-dooris then closed and the door-bolts shot, which operation will withdraw the tongue-piece from the lock-casii'lg, and as soon as its end passes from in front of the lock-bolt I the spring J will throw the latter forward, causing it to dog the tongue-piece and at the same time placing the web J in such position that the pro jection G on the slide can move over until the slide is arrested by a suitable stop m.

In this position the safe cannot be unlocked. until the expiration of the time for which it is set, when either one or both of the movements will have run down sufficiently to cause the pinsZ to operate the arms 7c and move the slide to the left, moving its projecting portion off the web and latch and allowing the spring K on the latter to pull the bolt backward out of the way, thereby permitting the tongue-piece to enter the lockcasing when the door-bolts are retracted.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modified form of lock or dogging bolt. adapted to be applied to one end of the casing, in which N represents a lock or dogging bolt arranged to slide vertically between suitable guides and the end of the casing, having chamfered corners with which the guides co-operate, and a perforation N, preferably near its lower portion, corresponding to that in the casing at this en d for the tongue-piece of the bolt-work. \Vhen this bolt is in its lowest position, with its lower end resting against the bottom of the casing or a suitable stop, the perforations N B will register; but when it is raised the solid portion will come opposite the lastmention ed perforation, th us preventing movement of the tongue-piece. Upon the inner side of the bolt is arranged a latch 1, consisting ofa plate provided with slots p 2), through which securing and guiding screws pp are passed, entering the bolt, and at its upper portion is a handle or projection P, by which it can be raised when desired. 0 represents a spring conneetin g the latch with the plate, the tendency of which is to keep the former down,

with the upper ends of the slots in engagement with the screws, which act as stops for the latch. The lower portion of the bolt is recessed at Q, for the reception of the end of the slide G, and the lower end of the latter when in normal position is parallel with the shoulder formed by the end of said recess, as shown. \Vhen the bolt is in lowest position, the perforations B N are in line, and the safe-bolts can then be manipulated in the usual manner; but when desired to lock the safe, the train-bolts being retracted with the tongue-piece in said perforations, the latch is raised against the tension of the spring, so that the slide, being pressed by its spring, will engage its lower end, the bolt being meanwhile held by the tonguepiece. Then the safe-door is closed and the bolts shot, when the withdrawal of the tongue-piece will permit the spring 0 to raise the bolt N until the shoulder at the end of recess Q is passed, when the slide G will move under it, sustaining said bolt and, as the imperforate portion is opposite the perforation B, accomplishing the dogging of the trainbolts. The unlocking is accomplished by the withdrawal of the slide G by means of the time mechanism shown, or by any other, allowing the bolt to drop to lowest position,when the perforations will register as before. In order to prevent this form of bolt being unlocked by inverting the safe and permitting the end to pass beyond the aperture B, I provide a stop or pin a", which limits its upward movement. This lastdescribed dogging arrangement is not so good as the one first described, for the reason that the lock cannot readily'be applied to safes having left-handed bolt-works, unless another bolt is provided on the opposite side and provision made for changing the direction of the movement of the slide G; but the first-mentioned form can be applied to all forms of safes equally well.

Some of the advantages of the herein-described lock that may be mentioned are its simplicity, decreasing its liability to get out of order; the interchangeability of the parts, facilitating repairs without necessitating the entire dismantling of thelock, and precluding its use should one of the movements become inoperative; the operation of the portion controlling the release of the dogging-bolt from the stop-works of the clock-movement preventing a lock-out by reason of the running down of the same, and preventing, also, locking of the safe until. the time mechanism is wound and set to the proper hour.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a time-lock, the combination, with the bolt and controlling devices therefor, of two time-movements mounted in separate frames independently of the bolt-controlling devices, interchangeable, and each arranged to operate independently the bolt-controllin g devices at the same time and in the same manner even when they are interchanged, as set forth.

2. In a time-lock, the combination, with the bolt and controlling devices therefor embodying a portion adapted to be moved in one directionto cause the unlocking, of two interchangeable time-movements independent of the bolt-controlling devices and each other,

arranged to operate said bolt-controlling dechangeable time-movements independent of the bolt-controlling devices and each other, arranged to positively operate the bolt-controlling devices in the same manner, substantially as described.

4. In a time-lock, the combination, with a bolt and controlling devices therefor, of a clock-movement, stop-Works therefor geared to the winding-arbor and adapted to operate directly upon the bolt-controlling mechanism, and an indicator also geared to the windingarbor, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with'the lock or dogging bolt, the movable catch or slide for holding the same in locked position, the latch and spring connecting it to the bolt, said latch being arranged next the slidein the direction in which the latter moves to effect the locking, of a tongue-piece or projection connected to the safe-bolt, arranged to strike the doggingbolt when the latter is in one position and to engage said bolt and prevent its movement by the latch-spring when in another, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the lock or dogging bolt, the movable catch or slide for holding the same in locked position, the spring for operating it, the latch and a spring connecting it to the bolt, said latch being arranged next the catch in the direction in which it moves to effect the locking, of a tongue-piece or projection connected to the safe-bolt,arranged to strike the dogging-bolt when the latter is in one position and to engage the latch-spring when in another, and a clockmovement arranged to operate the catch against the tension of its spring, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the pivoted lock ordogging bolt, the pivoted latch for the same having a spring for moving it and a projection co-operating with the bolt to move in one direction, a spring connecting the bolt and latch for holding them together, of a catch or slide and a spring for moving it in a direction to engage first the latch and then the bolt, and a clock-movement arranged to oper- 9. The combination, with the lock-casing and a support for the same, of the locking or dogging bolt, the catch controlhng the same, and one or more clock-movements removably .secured in the casing capable of being removed independent of the bolt or locking mechanism, and connections, substantially as described, between the movement and catch, as set forth.

10. The combination, with the lock-casing and a support for the same, of the looking or dogging bolt, the catch controlling the same, i

and one or more clock-movements removably secured in the casing capable of being removed independent of the bolt or locking mechanism, connections, substantially as described, between the movement and catch, and a bolt or bolts in engagement with the support, arranged to act directly upon the movement or movements and force them from their seats upon the approach of the lock-support and casing, as set forth.

11. The combination, with the lock-casing having apertures at opposite ends, of a laterally-movable locking-bolt, a catch, and one or more clock-movements for controlling it, whereby the lock is adapted for either right or left handed safe bolt-works, substantially as described.

12. The combination, with the lock or dogging bolt and the catch controlling the same, of the clock-movement having the windingarbor, the stop-works embodying the disk and pin and the wheel f, the pin on the wheel, the arm journaled loosely on the arbor of the wheel f, the gears c g h t', and pointer j, substantially as described.

13. The combination of the pivoted lock or dogging bolt having the web or extension I, the pivoted latch having the pin K engaging the bolt, the spring K spring J the slide G, having the lower extension, the spring G and means, substantially as described, for operating said slide, as set forth.

LYMAN F. MUNGER.

Witnesses:

FRED F. CHURCH, S. E. TRUE. 

